Verb Tense Exercise 2

Simple Present / Present Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses,
then click the "Check" button to check your answers.
A Trekking Journal

November 12, 1997

Today (be) the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am exhausted and my
legs (shake) ; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My feet (kill, really) me and my
toes (bleed) , but I (want, still) to continue.

Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be) so
different, and I (try) to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn) a little bit of the
language to make communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not) foreign languages
quickly. Although I (understand, not) much yet, I believe that I (improve, gradually) .

I (travel, currently) with Liam, a student from Leeds University in England. He (be) a
nice guy, but impatient. He (walk, always) ahead of me and (complain) that I am too
slow. I (do) my best to keep up with him, but he is younger and stronger than I am.
Maybe, I am just feeling sorry for myself because I am getting old.

Right now, Liam (sit) with the owner of the inn. They (discuss) the differences between
life in England and life in Nepal. I (know, not) the real name of the owner, but
everybody (call, just) him Tam. Tam (speak) English very well and he (try) to teach
Liam some words in Nepali. Every time Tam (say) a new word, Liam (try) to repeat it.
Unfortunately, Liam (seem, also) to have difficulty learning foreign languages. I just
hope we don't get lost and have to ask for directions.

Verb Tense Exercise 3

Simple Past / Past Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses,
then click the "Check" button to check your answers.
1. A: What (you, do) when the accident occurred?
B: I (try) to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find) the wallet full of money, I (go, immediately) to the police and
(turn) it in.

3. The doctor (say) that Tom (be) too sick to go to work and that he (need) to
stay at home for a couple of days.
 4. Sebastian (arrive) at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but she (be, not)
there. She (study, at the library) for her final examination in French.

5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she
(watch, also) television. That's all she ever does!

6. A: I (call) you last night after dinner, but you (be, not) there. Where were you?

B: I (work) out at the fitness center.

7. When I (walk) into the busy office, the secretary (talk) on the phone with a
customer, several clerks (work, busily) at their desks, and two managers
(discuss, quietly) methods to improve customer service.

8. I (watch) a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went out. Now I am

never going to find out how the movie ends.

9. Sharon (be) in the room when John told me what happened, but she didn't
hear anything because she (listen, not) .

10. It's strange that you (call) because I (think, just) about you.

11. The Titanic (cross) the Atlantic when it (strike) an iceberg.

2.

12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily) and (try)
to sell their goods to naive tourists who (hunt) for souvenirs. Some young boys
(lead) their donkeys through the narrow streets on their way home. A couple of
men (argue) over the price of a leather belt. I (walk) over to a man who (sell)
fruit and (buy) a banana.

13. The firemen (rescue) the old woman who (be) trapped on the third floor of
the burning building.

14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always) her dirty dishes in the sink. I think
she (expect, actually) me to do them for her.

15. Samantha (live) in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live) there
when the Berlin Wall came down.

Verb Tense Exercise 5

Simple Past / Present Perfect

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses,
then click the "Check" button to check your answers.
1. A: Did you like the movie "Star Wars?"
B: I don't know. I (see, never) that movie.
2. Sam (arrive) in San Diego a week ago.

3. My best friend and I (know) each other for over fifteen years. We still get together
once a week.

4. Stinson is a fantastic writer. He (write) ten very creative short stories in the last year.
One day, he'll be as famous as Hemingway.

5. I (have, not) this much fun since I (be) a kid.

6. Things (change) a great deal at Coltech, Inc. When we first (start) working here three
years ago, the company (have, only) six employees. Since then, we (expand) to include
more than 2000 full-time workers.

7. I (tell) him to stay on the path while he was hiking, but he (wander) off into the forest
and (be) bitten by a snake.

8. Listen Donna, I don't care if you (miss) the bus this morning. You (be) late to work
too many times. You are fired!

9. Sam is from Colorado, which is hundreds of miles from the coast, so he (see, never)
the ocean. He should come with us to Miami.

10. How sad! George (dream) of going to California before he died, but he didn't make
it. He (see, never) the ocean.

11. In the last hundred years, traveling (become) much easier and very comfortable. In
the 19th century, it (take) two or three months to cross North America by covered
wagon. The trip (be) very rough and often dangerous. Things (change) a great deal in
the last hundred and fifty years. Now you can fly from New York to Los Angeles in a
matter of hours.

12. Jonny, I can't believe how much you (change) since the last time I (see) you. You
(grow) at least a foot!

13. This tree (be) planted by the settlers who (found) our city over four hundred years
ago.

14. This mountain (be, never) climbed by anyone. Several mountaineers (try) to reach
the top, but nobody (succeed, ever) . The climb is extremely difficult and many people
(die) trying to reach the summit.

15. I (visit, never) Africa, but I (travel) to South America several times. The last time I
(go) to South America, I (visit) Brazil and Peru. I (spend) two weeks in the Amazon,
(hike) for a week near Machu Picchu, and (fly) over the Nazca Lines.